The Game
by Ruffyan
Summary: Many of you have heard of Chess, and maybe even Wizard Chess, but the new game in town is Mutant Chess. Enjoy.
1. Mutant Chess

The Game  rev-2

 A/N- OK kiddies, you've heard of chess and you've probably heard of Wizard's chess.  Well here's what we all call Mutant Chess.  Ready?  BTW, this little piece is dedicated to Xiphan, may the Lord keep you safe and bring you back soon.

This is just a demo game showing a few moves.  To keep track, you'll need to create your own gameboard 9x9 squares, Label the columns like a BINGO card except that you label the top of the columns A thru I from left to right, and the rows 1 through 9 from top to bottom.  Make column E and row 5 twice as wide as the rest.  I think most of the rules are covered. Let me know if I missed anything.

Think I should post this on the official MX message boards?.....Naw.  Maybe?

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Adam and his team sprawled comfortably around the recreation area of Sanctuary.  Each member was eyeing the holographic image with great interest.

"You've played Chess before," Adam was saying.  "Here's a variation that I and a couple of my colleagues used to play years ago."

"How many people can play, Adam?" Jesse asked.

"As many as you think you can handle.  It gets very complex with more than 3 players."  Adam replied.

"Chess with 3 players," Shalimar grumbled.  "That's got to be really weird."

"You've got to think multi-dimensionally," Adam continued, giving her a stern look.  "I think all of you have that capability that's why I'm introducing you to the game.  It's strategically challenging and forces you to think as a team in more than one way."  Saying that, the older man smiled and started setting up the game.

"I'm in," Brennan stated.

"I want to start with three players, so I'll take on 2 of you plus myself.  We'll walk through the game to familiarize you with the moves and strategies."

"I want to do it," Jesse and Shalimar said together.  Shalimar glowed her eyes at Jesse and he shrugged.  "Next time," he said to her, adding "I'll watch her now so I can beat her ass next time."

"I heard that, Jesse," Shalimar growled.

"Brennan, you will have the Green board, Shalimar red, and I will have the Black board." Adam interrupted.  "Now listen up.  Each board has 81 squares and is 9x9 squares, configured like a checkerboard in player's color alternating with white.  Each square is numbered so that you can keep track of your position.  For example, Shalimar's Psionic starts at position Red D4.  Each board and its pieces take on the color belonging to its player. 

There are 5 pieces.  Feral, Psionic, Elemental, Molecular, and Xiphan."

"Xiphan?  What's a Xiphan?"  the team asked.

Adam looked at them with pained endurance.  "The first 4 pieces you recognize as New Mutant categories.  The Xiphan represents the Non-new Mutant potential."  

"OK,"  Brennan shrugged.

"The Xiphan is positioned in the center square number E5.  It's move is exactly 4 consecutive squares in any direction, any combination of moves, including the Leap."

"The Leap?" Shalimar asked.

"That is the move a piece makes to go from one board to another, right Adam?"  Emma answered.

"Right.  There are however 4 rules for the Leap. Number One:  For all pieces except the Xiphan, the Leap is counted as one move.  Number Two: any piece can Leap from anywhere on the board to a corresponding position on any other board.  Number Three:  that position must be empty.   Number Four:  For the Xiphan only, the Leap can be part of the move, for example, if Black Xiphan is on position E5, it can Leap to Red E5 as move #1 of 4 (provided it is unoccupied), then move three additional places for example, to Red G4."  Adam used a laser pointer to illustrate the move pattern.  Everyone nodded understanding.  

If you are Leaping any other piece, for example the Green Feral can leap from position GreenF6 to RedF6 which is unoccupied, its entire turn begins and ends with the Leap."

Adam looked around.  "You follow me so far?"  Every one nodded.

"The Psionic starts at position D4.

  The Molecular starts at position F4.

  The Elemental starts at position D6, 

   The Feral starts at position F6.

   And the Xiphan starts in position E5."

This follows for each player on his or her respective board.

The Psionic moves unlimited diagonally in any direction, similar to a Bishop.

The Molecular moves unlimited horizontal/vertical similar to a Rook.

The Feral moves 6 spaces in any direction and in any combination of moves, for example, zigzag, circle, double back or simply move out in one direction for a total of 6 spaces.

The  Elemental moves out 3 spaces in any direction and changes direction for 2 additional spaces, for a total move of 5 spaces, no more no less.  It can jump a piece that is obstructing it without capturing it.  The elemental is the only piece that can jump without capturing.

The Xiphan, as I mentioned before can move 4 spaces in any combination of moves, but can include a Leap as one of its moves."

The team members were concentrating on the display that moved the figures in the appropriate directions.  

"What about Pawns, Adam?"  Brennan asked.

"Yeah, and how do we make a kill, I mean, capture other pieces?" Shalimar asked.

Adam smiled.  "There are no pawns in this game.  Let's place a few opponent pieces on the Red Board." A Green Feral appeared in RedE1 and Green Psionic in Red C9.  A Black Xiphan appeared in Red G1, a Black Elemental on RedB5, and a Green Molecular on RedG9.

Adam continued.  "Now here's where it gets interesting.  A 'kill' as you say, can be made by the Psionic and Molecular as it displaces the first obstacle in its path, that is, if you want to displace a piece."  The Red PsionicD4 shot a starburst at the Black XiphanG1 that was diagonally in its path 3 spaces away, it fell over, then the Red Psionic moved into its place.

"Watch," Adam said, smiling.

The Black Xiphan vanished, but suddenly the computer placed a second Red Xiphan randomly on Black-B2.  The piece raised its arms in victory.

"Computer could have placed the converted piece on anyone's board, in any empty position.  Your converted piece may end up on hostile territory, endangered, or in a safe place.  When you take an opponent, consider the repercussions  carefully."

"Aw Adam, couldn't you just program the converted piece to go to a certain place, like one of the corners of the board you're on every time instead of having the computer randomly assign a place?"  Jesse asked.

"I could.  It's a good idea for players who don't have a holographic setup."  Adam replied.  "But what if all 4 corners of the board you are occupied?"

"So," Emma said thoughtfully, "in order to increase your pieces, you have to delete your opponents.  I take it that the winner is the one who has captured all of the other pieces."

Adam nodded.  "Now, watch the Green MolecularG9 take the Red PsionicG1 ."  The Green Molecular sent a bar of light across the board 8 spaces to the Red Psionic on space G1.  The Psionic dissolved into bands of light and vanished.   The green piece followed the bar of light and moved into the place that was formerly occupied by the red piece.  A second Green Telepath appeared on Black G7.

"The remaining three pieces, the Feral, Elemental, and the Xiphan can only capture a piece that is located on a space that is at the end of its 6, 5, and 4 space moves.  Except for the Elemental, they cannot jump over other pieces to make a move."

"I'd like to see how the Feral captures its prey," Shalimar asked.

"Easy, Brennan said.  Green Feral E1 take Red MolecularF4"  He grinned at Shalimar.  The Green Feral turned into a lioness, stealthily zigzagged its path from spaces E1-F1-E2-E3-F2-F3-F4, paused then pulled down the Molecular on F4.  Emma grimaced and started to look away.  

"No gore," Adam assured her.

"Cool!" Shalimar said, eyes shining.  They watched the mishap Molecular dissipate and reappear as a Green Molecular on Green B7.

"How about  Red XiphanE5 take Black Feral F6."  Shalimar suggested.

"Good," Adam encouraged her.  "You leaped to the Black boardE5's empty space with the first move and captured the Black Feral on the fourth space properly, sequence E5-E6-E7-F7-F6."  The Red Xiphan disappeared off the Red Board E5, appeared on Black E5, moved space by space to BlackFeral on Black F6.  It leaped at the Black Feral and hurled it onto the floor.  Black Feral collapsed dramatically and vanished then reappeared as Red Feral on Green I1.

"How about Black ElementalB5 take Red ElementalD6?"  Brennan asked.

They watched the Black Elemental shoot an energy burst from B5-B6-B7-B8, angling up two spaces: C7 to D6 where Red Elemental was engulfed in the energy and exploded.  It reappeared on Green Board B1 as a Black Elemental.

"The energy types vary in elementals when they capture an opponent," Adam said, "just as Ferals use different forms, Feline, Canine, Arachnid, etc.  so the more opponents you capture, the more possible types you can collect."

"Neat."  Jesse said.  "Can we strategically position ourselves without capturing an opponent even if the opportunity is there?"

"Yes."  Adam replied.  "Making temporary alliances is one of the strategies."

"Great,"  Brennan said looking at Shalimar who winked.  Emma frowned.

"What's wrong Emma?"  Jesse asked.  

"This is hardly descriptive of our talents and abilities," she said.  

"It's just a game, Emma."  Adam said.  "A little brain candy, no ass-kicking in the physical sense.  Don't take it seriously.  Wanna play?"

Emma smiled.  "Of course."  She answered.  Emma, Jesse, Shalimar and Brennan chose colors and spent the next couple hours engaged in their first game of Mutant Chess using four boards.  Adam coached where he could and maintained the peace

….a couple hours later…..Yay, I won!!!!!!   Who do you think won a 4-player game ??


	2. Acknowledgements

The Game – Rev2

**  Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and emails.

Freak@ngel, I toyed with the Mutant Checkers concept but it just didn't cut it, so Chess it is  : )

Brigitta and BBaie, so far your winner of choice for this game, Jesse, stands.

M-Woman, sorry.  I did leave _him_ out this time.  Forgive me, sister?

Lucygoosey, I've actually thought about this concept off and on the past couple years.  Some major influences for this idea were:  the episode where Adam plays chess with Emma and poker with Shalimar at the same time; Harry Potter video (with the Wizard Chess) and the activity of having to create new games for my class.  The story wrote itself in a couple days, but I needed other eyes to help catch those inconsistencies that I couldn't see.  

Yes, MutantGenius56, I accept your challenge. Since you beat me at chess, I plan on beating you at Mutant Chess in return.

Katianna and Benthos, thank you for your questions, observations and suggestions for the game itself.  Katianna, I've revised chapter 1 to better describe the Feral move.  I meant to say that it could move 6 spaces in any direction in any combination of moves: zigzag,  circle, double back, or just move straight out.  Can elementals jump pieces?  Great question- yes, but that won't be counted as displacing them.  The displacing occurs only at the end of the move.  Benthos, yes, the original configuration of the pieces do form an X in the middle of the board and I really like your idea of numbering the board.  Thanks for letting me use your idea!  I've revised chapter 1 to reflect that.  A smaller board – 7x7?  Well, that would restrict the Elemental's opening move to waiting for one of the other pieces to vacate so that it could have the 3 space leeway to start its move.  I 'll stay with the 9x9 for now.

I think I've covered everything up to now.  I've revamped Chapter 1 to reflect most of your suggestions.  Thank you so much for your input.  This was fun.  I only wish I had a holographic deck to program this into. 


End file.
